Coastal protection of beaches, cities and communities located close to oceans and seas is a primary activity of the dredging industry.
According to the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP), half the world’s population lives within 60 kilometers of the sea, and three-quarters of all large cities are located on the coast.
With the risks of climate change and the pressure of pollution from urban areas, these communities are more and more vulnerable.
Also, these densely populated coastal cities are economic hubs, often representing major ports with their related industrial businesses, such as shipping and commercial fishing.
One of the companies deeply involved in finding solutions and bringing new products for a better marine environment to the dredging and coastal protection markets is Shandong Haohai Dredging Equipment Co. Ltd (HID Dredging).
A lot of successful deliveries and some other important business achievements gave us enough good reasons to interview Ms. Bella Wang, General Manager, Global Sales at HID Dredging.
Q: The last couple of years were challenging around the globe in many ways, how did your company sail through that period and what can we expect from HID in 2025?
Ms. Bella Wang: In the past few years, the global economic situation has been sluggish, and industry changes have brought huge challenges to the entire dredging equipment manufacturing industry. However, relying on 36 years of manufacturing experience, a strong technical R&D team, and global supply chain management capabilities, HID Shipyard has successfully coped with these difficulties and maintained steady growth every year.
We have consistently optimized our production management by expanding workshop facilities, increasing workforce numbers, and accelerating product innovation and technological upgrades. This has enabled us to quickly gain a foothold in the global market and ensure that clients in 81 countries and regions continue to receive efficient technical support and worry-free after-sales service.
Furthermore, the HID factory has been recognized by multiple classification societies, such as Bureau Veritas (France), RINA (Italy), and the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping. We are currently constructing vessels under these classification societies, with our welders and welding procedures certified by Bureau Veritas as well.
Looking ahead to 2025, HID Shipyard will achieve breakthroughs in several key areas, including:
Q: Recently, HID revealed a short info about its Next-Gen Jackup Barge. Our readers would love to find out more about this project, can you expand a bit more about it?
Ms. Bella Wang: HID Shipyard’s latest offshore jack-up platform is one of our key innovative products in 2025.
This equipment is designed for offshore engineering, wind power foundation construction, underwater excavation, drilling and piling operations, and has the following technical highlights:
This jack-up operation platform has entered the production and testing stage and will be officially launched on the market in 2025. It is expected to provide safer, more efficient and environmentally friendly solutions for offshore construction and dredging projects.
Q: What is in the pipeline at the moment and what are the dredging solutions that your teams are currently working on?
Ms. Bella Wang: HID Shipyard is actively developing and optimizing a range of dredging equipment projects to meet diverse operational environments and market demands. Our current R&D focus includes:
Intelligent and automated dredgers ：
Environmentally friendly dredging equipment ：
Multi-functional modular vessels:
Workshop automation:
These innovations will help customers reduce operating costs, improve construction efficiency, and meet stricter environmental regulations.
Q: Do you believe that dredging industry can make a difference in improving the environment’s quality, and what is your opinion on this?
Ms. Bella Wang: Absolutely. The dredging industry plays a vital role not only in maintaining ports, waterways, and rivers but also in ecological restoration, coastal protection, and water resource management. For instance:
HID Shipyard is committed to developing environmentally responsible dredging solutions, ensuring that industry growth and ecological protection go hand in hand.
Q: Sustainability now comes in many forms, and as one the companies involved in solving a wide range of engineering problems, you have knowledge, data and expertise to make a positive difference. What are your priorities when it comes to creating sustainable dredging solutions?
Ms. Bella Wang: Sustainability is one of HID Shipyard’s core strategies. Our priorities in sustainable dredging technology include:
Low-carbon and clean energy technologies:
Environmentally responsible construction methods:
Circular economy and material reuse:
Intelligent and digital management ：
Q: What can you tell our readers about HID’s most important goals and business plans for the upcoming period?
Ms. Bella Wang: HID Shipyard’s main goals and business plans for 2025 include:
Global market expansion:
Product innovation ：
Digital transformation: ：
Commitment to sustainability: ：
HID Shipyard will continue to focus on innovation, intelligence, and sustainability to create world-leading dredging equipment and solutions to help global water conservancy infrastructure construction and environmental governance.